Tracking device for music-sheets and the like.



C. G. GILBERG.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR Muslc SHEETS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED SEIT.8, 1914.

Patented'luly I6 1918.

NI I5@ CHARLES G. GILBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR MUSIC-SHEETS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application led September 8, 1914. Serial No. 880,576.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. GILBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tracking Devices for Music-Sheets and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication.

My invention relates to devices for automatically shifting traveling music sheets or similar elements in automatic musical instruments, such as player pianos, and especially to an arrangement thereof by which the music sheet may be automatically maintained in a central or normal position. The iilivention may be used for other purposes a so.

Prominent objects of the invention are to provide a simple, practical and effective device of this sort; to obtain responsiveness, quickness and accuracy of operation; to reduce the number of working parts, to make the apparatus simple and compact; and to secure the foregoing and other desirble results yin a simple and expeditious manner.

In the arrangement for carrying out my invention herein set forth I provide a spring controlled finger or trigger device which may be applied to the music sheet as for example by placing it at one edge or side of said sheet, so that as the sheet travels it moves along a portion of said finger or trigger device. This device is constructed and arranged so that it controls an air port leading to pneumatic mechanism, said device being movable and arranged to be moved by the music sheet when the latter shifts out of its proper direction of motion. This movement of the trigger device causes an operation of the pneumatic mechanism so as to automatically shift the music sheet back into its proper position. Instead of shifting the music sheet of course the tracker boa-rd can be shifted, the intention being to secure a proper relative adjustment as between the tracker board and music sheet so as to secure proper tracking.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of the pneumatic mechanism embodying my invention, taken on line 1 1 inFig. 8;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of a detail of construction showing the application of the trigger device to one side of the music sheet;

Fig. 5 is a diag 1animatic view showing the manner in which the pneumatic mechanism controls the action of the music sheet;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3 showing more in detail the structure of the valve.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the valve.

Referring to Fig. 5 I show a portion of a music sheet 1 which is understood to be the usual type of music sheet passing over a tracker board of a player piano. I also show a linger or trigger device 2 having an end portion 3 adapted to come into contact with the music sheet, as for example by touching one side edge of same. This member 2 is pivoted at et and has another end portion 5 provided with a felt strip or washer 6. A spring 7 is arranged about the pivot 1 tending to push the end 3 normally and continuously against the edge of the music sheet 1. The member 2 is pivoted to a bracket 8 having a strip portion 9 provided with a slot 10 by which said bracket may be secured adjustably to a frame portion of the instrument. A pneumatic tube 11 runs to the bracket 8 and through an end portion of the same where its end 12 makes contact with the felt washer 6 on the member 2. The spring 7 also tends to move the end portion 5 of the member 2 so that the washer 6 will come in cont-act with and inclose the end portion 12 of the tube 11. The tube 11 extends to a pneumatic mechanism 14. This mechanism comprises two pneumatics 15 and 16, and an intermediate block or member 17. The outer leaves 151 and 16a of these pneumatics are arranged to swing and are held together by strips or rods 18 one on each side of said pneumatics. The tube 11 eX- tends to and is connected with the centrally disposed block or member 17, said tube being conveniently a flexible tube of rubber or other suitable material. Another tube 20 also extends to the central block or member 17. This tube 20 is understood to eX- tend to a wind inducing apparatus, so that in the tube 20 there is normally and continually a condition of vacuum or reduced air pressure. The central block or member 17 is provided with a recess 21 which with a similar recess 22 in the stationary bar of the pneumatic 16 forms a diaphragm chamber for a pouch or 'diaphragm 23 which is interposed between said member 17 and said pneumatic 16. Said member 17 is also provided with a valve chamber Ycontaining a valve 24. This valve is provided with a plurality of grooves 24a, through which wind is permitted to pass from the pneumatic 16 to the tube 2O when Vsaid valve is properly positioned in the valve casing. This valve has an end portion ornose 25 adapted to contact and coperate'with the diaphragm 23. The member 17 is also provided with a duct or passage 26 which extends from the valve chamber to a port or passage 27 formed in the stationary wall of the pneumatic 16, and leading to the interior of said. pneumatic. Another chamber 2S is also formed in the member 17, said chamber 2S being. adjacent Vto the stationary member of the pneumatic 15. A metallic plate 29 is arranged within the chamber 28 and secured to the inner wall thereof, said plate 29 having an aperture 30V forming an air port which is controlled by the valve 24. Another duct or passage 32 is extended between the end of the tube or pipe 20 (Fig. 2) and the pouch chamber or recess 21. In this way a condition of lowpressure or suction is established in the chamber21 and is communicated through the passages in the valve 24 to the duct or passage 26 and thence to the interior of the pneumatic 16, thereby inducing a condition or' suction or low pressure within said pneumatic, the valve 24 partially but not entirely closing port 30. The tube 20 being connected with the wind inducing apparatus, thepneumatic 16 is normally subject to this condition of exhaust or low pressure, thereby normally collapsing or tending to collapse said pneumatic. vWhen a lateral movement of the music sheet moves the member 2 and admits air to the tube 11, such air pressure is communicated through passages 11a and 35 (Fig. 3) to the chamber 22, ,thereby actuating the diaphragm 23, which in turn actuates the valve 24, causing the same to close lthe port 30. This brings about a more thorough and complete exhaustion and collapse of the pneumatic 16. The disk 40 with aperture 41 serves as bleed for duct 35 and tube 11.

A metal tube43 is set in the stationary wall of the pneumatic 15 (Fig. 2), and affords a passage from duct 32 andtube 20 to the interior of said pneumatic. The openings at the ends of this tube'43V are' small or contracted, aording but a small passage to the pneumatic. lThe cross 'duct or passage 45 (Fig. 3), which aiords comiection between pipe 11k and duct 35, also extends to `pneumatic 15a-nd opensV into the interior thereof. Thus admission of air into pipe 11 by music sheet movement causes air to pass into pneumatic"16,which by same admission of air into vtube 11 tends to contract. Vhen air'is shut offirom tube 11, pneumatic 15 tends to contract by reason of exhaustion of air through pipe 43. A1; this time, as stated, pneumatic 16 tends to expand, because valve 24 is not so closely pressed against annular rim forming port 30.

I From the foregoing-it' will be seen that the action of the finger yor -member 2 .as brought about byY a lateralfmovementlof the musicl sheet, will cause an opening andclosing action` of the tube 11 and this in turn produces a change in :pneumatic 'pressure within the-bellows Ymembers 15 and 16,1so that said members are actuated, and this actuation vis vcomnninicated to lthelinks 18. These links may be connectedl or arranged to produce a restoration or correction of the music sheet in any desired manner. As a convenient arrangement I haveshown said links connected in Fig. 5 4to abell-v crank 49 which is in turn connected toa bell crank 50 and this latter is in turn connected with the upper` endof alrod 51 which extends downwardly alongside of the frame piece 52 in which the musicv rolls 53 and 54 are. journaled. This rod 51 isvprovided with cam members 55-55 having inclined surfaces` opposite the respective ends of the music roll spindles. Thus avmovement ofthe links 18 as brought aboutlby the operation'ofthe bellows 15 and 16 will cause an elevation and depression of the rod 51 and thereby'cause longitudinal adjustment of' f the musicI -roll spindles and of the music rolls and-music sheet 1 carried thereby. The adjustment-of the member 2 may be made so delicate as to bring about an accurate andrsensitive adjustment of the music rolls and sheet. v

YIt will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of therinvention.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic musical instrument,

the combination of a pairof-bellows, a valve block locatedbetween the same, a lvalve in said valve block, a tube'leadinglto saidvalve block, .said tube being for connection with a wind inducing apparatus, said tubehaving a connection with one of saidbellows and-a connection whereby said valve is actuated, and a duct leading from the chamber of said valve tothe other of saidbellows.

2. In an automatic musical instrument,the combination of a pair of bellows, a valve block located Vbetweenv and supporting'the same, a valve in saidvalveblock controlling the operation of both Ybellows`,*saidV valve block having a duct between saidV valve" and one of said bellows, and a tube or duct `for connection with a'windinducing apparatus extending from said duct in said valve block, and a duct or port leading to the other bellows and having a connection with a music sheet controlled tube or pipe.

3. In apparatus of the class speciiied, the combination of a pair of pneumatics connected together, a block interposed between said pneumatics, said block having a duct or passage leading from one pneumatic and terminating in a valve chamber, a tube or duct for connection with a wind inducing apparatus extending from said chamber, a valve in said valve chamber, a diaphragm located between said block and the pneumatic to which said duct or passage extends, a tube having a connection with said block and with the chamber containing said diaphragm, and a valve device controlling the other end of said tube and having a portion adapted for contact with the music sheet.

4. In a musical instrument of the class described having a wind inducing apparatus, in combination a pair of bellows, a valve block mounted between the bellows, a valve provided in said valve block, a tracker bar, a tube extending between the tracker bar and the valve block, a port extending from one side of the valve chamber to one of the bellows, a tube or port for connection with a wind inducing apparatus leading to the other of said bellows, and said valve controlling the part leading to said last mentioned bellows.

5. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a pair of pneumatics connected together, a valve block containing valve mechanism located between said pneumatics, a tubular member extending from the valve chamber to the vicinity of the music sheet, and means controlled by the music sheet for actuating said valve mechanism, said valve mechanism controlling both of said pneumatics.

6. In an automatic musical instrument oi' the class described, in combination, a pair of bellows, a valve block mounted between said bellows, a passage opening to the atmosphere provided in said valve block, said passage leading to one of said bellows, a duct or pipe forming a connection with a wind inducing apparatus and with said passage, a. valve provided in said passage, a port leading to the tracker bar,-a passage connected with said port, one end of said passage connecting with the other bellows, the opposite end of said passage leading to the rear of said valve chamber, and means whereby said valve is actuated to connect said first mentioned bellows with the wind inducing apparatus.

7. Apparatus of the class specified comprising a pair of pneumatics connected together, a block located between said pneumatics and secured to the same, said block having a valve chamber containing a valve and also having a duct 26 leading from said valve chamber to one of said pneumatics, and also having a chamber 2l cooperating with a chamber 22 formed in one of the pneumatics, a diaphragm between said chambers 2l and 22, said diaphragm cooperating with said valve in said valve chamber, a pipe or tube 2O running to said block and communicating with the chamber 21, an air pipe or tube 1l also running to said block and connected with a duct or passage formed in said block which duct or passage extends to the chamber 22, a tube or pipe il in said block communicating with said last mentioned duct or passage and having an opening into the other pneumatic, a tubular member i3 communicating with said other pneumatic and also with a duct or passage 32 formed in said block, a pivoted member 2 having a portion adapted to contact with a music sheet and having another portion adapted to serve as a valve for controlling said air tube or pipe, and means whereby the actuation of said connected pneumatics causes a lateral shifting movement of the music sheet.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of pneumatics, a valve block provided between said pneumatics, a valve in said valve block, a diaphragm provided. at one end of said valve, a duct leading from the valve chamber into one of said pneumatics, a tube leading into said valve chamber, another tube having branches leading to the other pneumatic and to the diaphragm provided at one end of said valve and a bleed port provided in the branch which extends to said diaphragm and a bleed port leading from the tube which enters'the valve chamber into the other pneumatic.

9. In a device of the class described in combination, a pair of pneumatics, a valve block mounted between said pneumatics, a valve provided in said valve block, said valve block having a pair of chambers provided therein one at each end of said valve chamber, a diaphragm provided in each chamber, one of said diaphragms being apertured and forming a valve seat, a tube or duct leading into said valve block and branching to one of the pneumatics and to the other diaphragm, a duct leading from the valve chamber to the other pneumatic and an exhaust tube or pipe leading to said valve chamber.

10. In a device of the class described in combination, a pair of pneumatics, a valve block mounted between said pneumatics, said valve block having a chamber provided at the sides adjacent said pneumatics, an apertured diaphragm Jforming a valve seat provided in one of said chambers, a flexible diaphragm provided in the other of said chambers, a valve mounted between said diaphragms, aportlead-ng to sadiexble damy name this 8thv day of .August7 .A..,1T)., phragm, a tube or-,ppe leading to the cham- 1914.

ber in which said valve s`mounted,. and a CHARLES' G. GILBERG. duct leading 'from said valve Chamber to tnessest .5 one ofthe pneumatcs. A. L. JONES,

In Witness whereof, l hereunto vsubscribe v AHAZEL A. JONES.

Gopiel ofthispatentlmay be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing `Vthe: Commissioner Ytot latentrr,

Washington, D. C. Y 

